US lawmakers say they'll visit Taiwan before Trump's summit with China's Xi
Source: ABC News/AP
March 28, 2026, 9:02 AM
WASHINGTON -- A bipartisan group of four senators has plans to visit Taiwan, Japan and South Korea in the coming days on a trip meant to bolster U.S. alliances seen as important to countering China's dominance in Asia.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, announced the trip Saturday. She will be joined by Sens. John Curtis, R-Utah, Thom Tillis, R-N.C., and Jacky Rosen, D-Nev. Their visits to Taipei, Tokyo and Seoul are coming before President Donald Trump's trip to Beijing in May for a rescheduled summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The lawmakers' stop in Taiwan could draw scrutiny from China, which opposes such relations and sees them as a challenge to its claim of sovereignty over the self-governing island. Taiwan relies on American backing for its democracy, but recent moves by Trump, such as discussing a potential weapons sales to Taiwan with Xi, have raised questions about the future direction of U.S. policy.
Analysts in both China and the United States believe Xi, through the leader-level summit, will try to influence Trump to soften the U.S. stance on Taiwan. “This bipartisan delegation demonstrates Congress’ commitment to these alliances and partnerships is unwavering and will endure well beyond any one administration,” Shaheen said in a statement.
Read more: https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/us-lawmakers-visit-taiwan-trumps-summit-chinas-xi-131498747
This is what many of them do during these "District Work Periods" (spring recess) - junkets.
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